DESCRIPTION
Dorothea and Celia are two Middlemarch sister of marriageable age. Dorothea chooses Casaubon, a dried-up old scholar, for her husband, much to everyone’s dismay. Celia, more sensible, chooses Sir James Chettam, a local nobleman who wanted to marry Dorothea, before she turned him down. Celia and Mr. Brooke, Dorothea’s uncle, try to counsel her against marrying Casaubon, though she will not listen. Dorothea likes him because he is educated, and she wants to learn, though the marriage is a total mistake.
Dorothea and Casaubon get married; Casaubon hopes for someone to comfort and serve him, and Dorothea wants to be of use in his work. They go on honeymoon in Rome, and there they meet Will Ladislaw, Casaubon’s young cousin, whom Casaubon dislikes. Dorothea and Will become friends immediately; they love to talk to each other, and seem to have a real connection, which Casaubon is very jealous of. The honeymoon turns out to be a disaster; Dorothea feels alone and unwanted, as her husband devotes his full time to his studies, and none to her.
Fred Vincy is an irresponsible young man who is used to people providing all the money he needs. He was unable to finish college because he had no aptitude for it, and He has a gambling debt against him, which he cannot pay because he has no job. He has Caleb Garth, an honest family man, co-sign for the debt. Fred receives money from his uncle Featherstone with which to pay the debt. However, he wastes this money, and the Garths, who have little money, end up having to pay it. Fred is very sad, since he believes that this will jeopardize his hopes for Mary, their oldest daughter.